In Him

Are you a self-made man? You know that they write books and give awards to the capitalist who started out poor, worked hard in his business, and then amassed a large fortune. Perhaps a self made man even gets his name on a building or two for some well placed philanthropy.

The Apostle Paul said if anyone had a reason to be proud of his own resume or accomplishments it was himself: born into the right family, attending the right school, a young charger in the religious elite of his day. But, he says he counts it all but garbage compared to knowing Jesus, and being found “In Him.”

In Colossians 2 it talks a lot about Jesus and us, when we are In Him:

• · In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form
• · In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
• · In Him your were circumcised, buried with Him in baptism, raised with Him through faith to newness of life
• · In Him we are now being built up and established in the faith overflowing with gratitude
• · In Him you have been made complete
• · In Him we should walk

So, do you want the accolades of a “self made man” or do you want to be found “In Him?”

God As House-Builder

(This week's thought forwarded from God's Daily Promises. )

God as house-builder

"Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is useless. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good." Psalm 127:1 NLT

Unless the Lord builds the house

"Benjamin Franklin is best known for his inventions (lightning rod) and his aphorisms ("early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise"). But he was also a key figure when the thirteen colonies were giving birth to a new nation.

At the age of 81, Franklin was the oldest representative at the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Weeks after the convention began, representatives were still haggling about the relative voting power of large states and small states. Then Franklin stood up and said,

"In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for the divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard and they were graciously answered.…Have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? Do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance? I have lived a long time, and the longer I live the more convincing proof I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men.…We have been assured, sir, that 'except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it,' and without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."

The verse from Psalm 127 had its effect. A compromise was soon worked out, and a Constitution ratified by the states the following year.

adapted from The One Year® Book of Psalms with devotionals by William J. Petersen and Randy Petersen (Tyndale) entry for October 27

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

The Purpose of Trials

A hard question for non-believers and believers alike is, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Why does Joni Erickson Tada have to go through life as a quadraplegic? Why does my son, Jonathan, also a believer, have to struggle with Crohn's disease? I'm not sure we'll fully understand this side of heaven. But, it's clear from scripture that God has purpose in suffering and trials. And, even Jesus is said to have learned obedience and demonstrated His perfection before His exaltation by suffering the passion and death on the cross.

This Grace To You podcast gives 8 potential purposes or positive results He can bring through allowing trials in our lives. and as Romans 8:28 says, "He works all things together for good, for those He loves and are called according to His purpose."

Enjoy, and let me know what you think...

10/15/2010 The Purpose of Trials

The Silent Witness

Over the years, I’ve heard people, actually people in church, make the following comments:

“We want to raise our kids in such a way that they can sample and discover on their own what they may choose to believe.”

“I have my own private belief, but I don’t feel I have the right to push my beliefs on someone else. I respect their right to believe what they want.”

“I’m not in to preaching at people. I just try to live my life so that I’m a silent witness to those around me.”

Do these comments sound politically correct to you? How about open mindedly tolerant? But are they Christian or Biblical positions?

1. Raise your kids in either a spiritual void or smorgasbord of ideas and let them choose as adults…

This is perhaps the most dangerous idea, and least biblical, as the bible says one key purpose for man is to raise up godly children to love and serve Him. Rather than letting babies figure life out for themselves, parents are supposed to proactively, and diligently nurture, train, and teach their children the truth of God.

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

2. You shouldn’t try to change someone else’s mind about what they want to believe…

The bible has a consistent theme of God, with the help of his followers speaking the truth and reaching out to lost man to bring them to repentance and relationship with Him. Here are some exhortations for believers.

Proverbs 24:11-12 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?

2 Timothy 4:5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

3. Is a quiet faithful walk better than an outspoken witness?

Our walk should match our talk. And clearly, good behavior, obedience to authority, and acts of charity are encouraged for the believer. But, Christians are to be ready to tell others how to find the Savior.

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Witnessing with gentleness and respect is not “preaching at people.”

Romans 10:14,15 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

By all means be on your good behavior and walk in a manner worthy of your calling. But, speak up in the marketplace of ideas. The enemy sure has his message out there. Don’t tell Jesus when you see Him that you were just trying to be a silent witness.

Psalm 119 Loving the Law?

This morning was the first time I think I really made it through Psalm 119 without getting distracted, or bored, or just thinking, "Wow this guy goes on and on and on."

This morning I was struck by the thought that culturally the psalmist in the old testament used "the Law" the way we might use "God's Word" or even the Living Word, "Jesus."

So now instead of reading, meditating, loving, ingesting "the Law," think about looking to God's Living Word, Jesus as the focus of our thoughts and meditations.

The other thought that came through in this reading, is that God gave the psalmist Adversity, Affliction, and Suffering to help his life become closer intertwined with the "Living Word of God." The bad stuff and the good stuff of this life, and the promise for a future all purposed for our best at the hand of God.

Spend some time with the Living Word today. Meditate on some of the bad stuff in your past and how God may be using it for your long term good, and to draw you closer to Him.

Ever screw up… really bad?

Ever screw up … really bad? I mean, broke one of the big, ten commandments? Go to jail type stuff? But, you didn’t get caught. No one saw. You thought. But just to make sure, you did what you thought was some really creative thinking and worked a cover up? But wait, somebody knows. In fact it’s going to become public. Does this mean embarrassment? Loss of career? Loss of relationships? Condemnation? Punishment?

I had a Christian friend in the insurance business that spent a client premium on his own bills. Needless to say he’s no longer in the insurance business. But can God forgive? Will he restore us? Will there be lifelong consequences? Will we permanently lose our standing with God?

That depends. It depends on us. Do we fess up? Do we turn around (repent) and seek God? Do we face the music, or submit to the law and restitution?

Let’s remember King David and his experience. And let’s look at his change of heart.

The SIN

One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.” 2 Samuel 11:2-4

The COVERUP

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, “Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die. Vs. 14

Getting CAUGHT

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Vs 12:7-9

The LIFETIME CONSEQUENCES

Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ “This is what the LORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.* You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’” Vs 10-12

“But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die.” Vs. 14

The CHANGE OF HEART

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned* against the LORD.” Vs. 13

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion

blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Psalm 51:1,2,7,9,10,11

FORGIVENESS

Nathan replied, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. Vs.13.b

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

OK, what about us? What about you? Are you carrying a sin, something you don’t think God can forgive? What lifetime consequences are you living with?

Has God changed? Will He not forgive and restore? Are you willing to pay your debt and make restitution?

Have you had a change or heart? Have you turned back to God? Are you ready to cry out to Him for forgiveness?

My friend never could return to the financial services industry. And, he struggled with money his whole life. But, he did repent of his sin, and confessed publicly before his whole congregation at church one Sunday. And, he's in heaven with Jesus today!

Never Give Up

Guys,

Here's a super verse with some interesting, bittersweet encouragement for us...

We know that the same God who raised our Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself along with you. All of these things are for your benefit. And as God's grace brings more and more people to Christ, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.… For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:14-18 NLT

It's worth reading again ...

We know that the same God who raised our Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself along with you. All of these things are for your benefit. And as God's grace brings more and more people to Christ, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.… For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:14-18 NLT

I received a reasonably good report on my uncle Jim the other night, at age 81, the doctors said the spots of cancer in his bones and on his lungs are of a slow growing type. So they said they could treat them for pain, and give him years of life yet. When you talk about the "big C," and you are 81, years instead of months is a good report.

But as the scripture above says, our bodies, sin cursed, are slowly or quickly dying. But the real us, our soul, and our God given spirit is being sanctified and being renewed every day.

John MacArthur, and the Bible say that at a believer's physical death, we are immediately in the presence of God, with a perfected soul, the real us is no longer sin cursed and we are the best we'll ever be and in perfect joy and fellowship with our God forever. Then, when the Lord returns, our bodies will be resurrected, perfect, imperishable, fit for heaven, so "the joys to come will last!"

Have you got troubles? God's plan is working out. His grace is bringing more and more people to Christ.

So as Winston Churchill said, "Never Give Up!"